Quick revenge sweet for Kerber over Kvitova

Stuttgart (Germany) (AFP) – Angelique Kerber earned quick revenge against Petra Kvitova with a 6-3, 6-2 defeat of the Czech in the Stuttgart Grand Prix first round on Wednesday.

The pair had faced off last Sunday at the same Porsche arena venue in a Fed Cup semi-final tie won by the visitors, with Kvitova defeating Kerber.

The German, a former world number one who is now ranked 12th, was all business against the two-time Wimbledon champion, preventing Kvitova from three straight victories in their head-to-head series.

Kerber closed it out on her third match point after 77 minutes when Kvitova returned long.

“I had goosebumps when I came out on court,” said the German. “It was not an easy match after Sunday.

“My team and I analysed it and we learned from that loss. I’m unbelievably happy to be in the second round.

“I knew what to expect from Petra, I tried to play aggressive and control the match. I always need time to get my rhythm.”

Kerber set up a match against Anett Kontaveit, the world number 31 who outlasted Kristina Mladenovic 5-7, 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/5).

The Estonian needed more than three hours to put out 2017 finalist Mladenovic, with the French player saving match points in the final-set tiebreaker.

Between them, the women converted on 19 of 39 break points on offer, with Mladenovic sunk by 10 double-faults.

CoCo Vandeweghe put aside her career-long dislike of clay to crush US Open champion Sloane Stephens 6-1, 6-0 with a 56-minute rout.

There was a similar fate for last year’s New York runner-up, with Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova eliminating American Madison Keys 7-6 (9/7), 5-7, 6-4.

Vandeweghe and Stephens, who won the Miami title last month after a lacklustre six months following her Grand Slam triumph, had teamed up at the weekend to help the United States defeat France and reach the Fed Cup final.